Thin film dressings are particularly advantageous as an extra skin, where the normal skin needs protection for a shorter or longer period, e.g. as a result of affection by psoriasis, burns or other wounds. Typically, the thin dressings will be capable of following the surrounding skin as it stretches or folds and hence would not be uncomfortable to wear. However, this effect, which is beneficiary when the dressing is in place on the skin, makes it difficult to apply the dressing. This is due to the tendency of the dressing to roll and wrinkle or maybe even attach to itself during application caused by the flimsiness of the dressing.
EP0434258 provides a thin film dressing assembly which has two equally sized release liners. Each of the release liners is longer than the dressing and are folded in half with the lower half adhering to the dressing and the upper half projecting a short distance beyond the edge of the dressing leaving free ends of the release liners at the edges. The release liners are less flexible than the dressing so as to maintain the dressing in flat condition and wrinkle-free during application. Application of the dressing is done by holding the dressing assembly up to the skin with the exposed parts of the release liners touching the skin and then pulling at the free ends of the release liners outwardly and parallel to the dressing and the skin.
However, there is still a need for a thin film dressing which is controllable during application.